Britannia in Brief

“When we got engaged, we knew it was the dawn of an era of togetherness-living together, vacationing together, paying bills together, maybe even showering together-but writing a book together wasn’t something that we had ever considered.” – Britannia in Brief by Leslie Banker and William Mullins

As if the first years of a cross-cultural marriage weren’t hard enough, Leslie Banker and William Mullins added writing a book to the mix and I’m happy to say, to the benefit of us all. When Leslie, a New Yorker, first traveled to the U.K. with William, a native Londoner, she had more than her fair share of questions about the culture. They quickly realized that what was needed was a guide to explain the differences between the U.S. and the U.K., and they were the perfect couple to write it.

Britannia in Brief reads like a guide to Britain. If you are planning on hopping the pond anytime soon, this book is essential for a smoother transition. And while there have been several books published about the differences between America and Britain, this one is among the most comprehensive I’ve read. I especially appreciated the chapter on the “Ins and Outs of Northern Ireland.” Even after living in England and watching news coverage on the “troubles”, I was still confused about certain details, but Banker and Mullins do a fine job of explaining it all. And speaking of scratching my head, just how do you play cricket anyway? Thanks to Britannia in Brief, the mystery is solved, and while I wouldn’t call myself an expert, I’m happy to report that I can now watch Sky Sports News without my eyes glazing over. Some of the other topics covered in Britannia in Brief include an explanation of the British class system, a history of Britain’s monarchy, Britain’s government and politics, and my personal favorite- what to do for a homesick Brit.

As always I’m giving away a copy of Britannia in Brief but this will be a Twitter ONLY contest. To enter, do the following:

1. Follow Me on Twitter.
2. Tweet the following message:

RT this and be entered to win a copy of the book “Britannia in Brief” from @smittnbybritain Deadline to enter is 7/31

That’s it, all you have to do is keep your fingers crossed.

If you can’t wait to get your mitts on this title, you can purchase it from my store.

And if you haven’t done so, remember to enter the Postcards from across The Pond contest which ends tonight.

Good luck everyone!